Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 21:58:51 -0700
Reply-To: Julianna Elligsen <mumbrue@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Julianna Elligsen <mumbrue@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: '91 Carat AC - again!
In-Reply-To: <CA+az7_4RZbR5uQzUHPxrAcLk3XAca81qyG6w2eZg1E7Lb2+xoA@mail.gmail.com>
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Hi John,
My brother is a certified air conditioning mechanic. I will forward your message to him, as he will I'm sure know. I know he has worked on Vanagons before.
Julianna
1991 VW Vanagon Westfalia (Ophelia)
1987 VW Vanagon Tintop (Armand)
> On Sep 30, 2016, at 1:38 PM, John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> I have done some more thinking on this, and now have more questions.
>
> When the trinary switch failed, the AC system was not running. In fact, it
> had never run while in my posession, even though I had serviced it to get
> the compressor to run . I had it flushed, then put on a new receiver
> dryer, added a 134a conversion kit, pulled a vacuum check, and then put in
> PAG 46 (I think that is the number recommended, and one can of
> refrigerant. The compressor should have turned om. It did not. I checked
> the clutch, and it did not engage. I jumpered it and it worked fine. Also
> turned the compressor by hand with clutch engaged. Compressor turned fine.
> I assume an electrical problem. And never turned the system on again. For
> whatever reason, the shrader valve under the trinary switch failed,
> allowing the refrigerant to blow out, which in turn also blew out the
> switch. Replacing the shraeder valve with another supposed good one from a
> 134a converstion kit was not sufficient. It blew out as well, causing the
> loss of refrigerant again.
>
> There was only the pressure of one can of refrigerant present, and the
> system had not yet been run. So this shraeder valve failure really puzzles
> me. As I see it, there was not enough pressure there to cause a failure, if
> the valve seals were good.
>
> The fact of a failed trinary switch may have created the illusion of a
> failed shraeder valve. The switch could have failed pressing on the valve
> much like a thermostat will hot instead of cold. I am thinking of removing
> the trinary switch again, replacing the shraeder valve and just leaving the
> trinary switch off until it is recharged with one can of refrigerant. If it
> holds, then I will install my new switch, and see if that holds. I'll turn
> the system on, and if the compressor kicks on(it should - it did on my
> '88 model), then I will finish recharging the system.
>
> I know a blockage somewhere could cause a problem, but the flush was done
> with receiver/drier removed, and the crud wash out of the hoses in all both
> directions intil it was clear. The condenser section was done separately
> from the evaporator section. I was right there when this was done, so I'm
> fairly certain the system is clean.
>
> In preparing to do this again, if anyone feels I've missed something, I
> would appreciate hearing about it. Around here locally there's only one
> guy to talk to about this and his is a system he built, so its very much
> not VW, and the nearest shop is over in the big city.
>
> Any comments would sure be appreciated.
>
> Regards,
>
> John
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